The Florida National Guard's Special Archives Publications was digitized, in part by volunteers, in honor of Floridians serving both Floridians in disaster response and recovery here at home and the nation oversees.

Digitized with the permission of the
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS

FLORIDA NATIONAL GUARD

SOURCE DOCUMENT ADVISORY

Digital images were created from printed source
documents that, in many cases, were photocopies of
original materials held elsewhere. The quality of
these copies was often poor. Digital images reflect
the poor quality of the source documents.

Where possible images have been manipulated to
make them as readable as possible. In many cases
such manipulation was not possible. Where
available, the originals photocopied for publication
have been digitized and have been added,
separately, to this collection.

Searchable text generated from the digital images,
subsequently, is also poor. The researcher is
advised not to rely solely upon text-search in this
collection.

RIGHTS & RESTRICTIONS

Items collected here were originally published by the
Florida National Guard, many as part of its SPECIAL
ARCHIVES PUBLICATION series. Contact the Florida
National Guard for additional information.

The Florida National Guard reserves all rights to
content originating with the Guard.

DIGITIZATION

Titles from the SPECIAL ARCHIVES PUBLICATION series
were digitized by the University of Florida in
recognition of those serving in Florida's National
Guard, many of whom have given their lives in
defense of the State and the Nation.

Florida

Department of

Military Affairs

Special Archives
Publications NumbGr

MISCELLANEOUS FLORIDA CSA

State ArsenaI
St. Fralncis
BarraGhs
St. Augustine,
Florida

FLORIDA STATE DEPOSITORIES

State documents are distributed to the following depository libraries and are available
to Florida citizens for use either in the libraries or on interlibrary loan, subject to
each library's regulations. An asterisk (*) indicates libraries that are obligated to
give interlibrary loan service. Requests should be directed to the nearest epository.

STATE OF FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS
OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL

POST OFFICE BOX 1008
STATE ARSENAL, ST. AUGUSTINE
32085-1008

The special Archives Publication Series of the Historical
Services Division are produced as a service to Florida
communities, historians, and to any other individuals, historical
or geneological societies, and national or regional governmental
agencies which find the information contained herein of use or
value.

At present, only a very limited number of copies of these
publications are produced and are provided to certain state and
national historical record repositories at no charge. Any
remaining copies are provided to interested parties on a first
come, first served basis. It is hoped these publications will
soon be reproduced and made available to a wider public through
the efforts of the Florida National Guard Historical Foundation
Inc.

Information about the series is available from the Historical
Services Division, Department of Military Affairs, State Arsenal,
St. Augustine, Florida.

Confederate flag authority H. M. Madaus has identified the
construction and design as being of the type which would have been
used by the 1st Florida at Shiloh. More research is pending (see
75.553.01.03)

St. Andrew's cross design; square format. (45" x 48" incomplete
edges)
No battle honors or unit designation.
Flag was returned to Florida in 1927 by Ohio veterans. It was
reported to have been captured by the 111th Ohio Infantry
Regiment at the Battle of Franklin, November 30, 1864, supposedly
from a unit of Brigadier General Finley's Florida Brigade.
Inconclusive information indicates that it may have come from the
4th Florida Infantry Regiment. (Identification as the 4th Florida
Regiment is tentative, more research is pending.)
(Heavily damaged)

St. Andrew's cross design; square format. (31" x 32")
No unit designation (unit identification is highly probable, but not
positive)
Battle honor: OCEAN POND (Battle of Olustee, Florida)
Not captured.
Believed to be the flag retired from service with the 9th Florida
Infantry Regiment, and sent to the Governor of Florida in
mid-1864.

St. Andrew's cross design; square format. (48" X 48")
No unit designation or battle honors
Capture number: 355
Captured at Sailor's Creek on April 6, 1865.
The flag was captured by Private Daniel Woods of the 1st West
Virginia Veteran Volunteer (Union) Cavalry, attached to the 3rd
Cavalry Division. Capture records state that this flag signified the
"18th Florida Infantry" Regiment. Florida, however, only fielded
eleven infantry regiments. Provided that this flag was correctly
identified as being captured from a Florida unit, it is most likely
that it came from the 5th Florida Infantry Regiment. Less likely
possibilities include the 10th Regiment, the 9th Regiment, and the
possibility that either the 8th or the 11th regiments were carrying
more than one flag each when captured. (This flag was previously
listed as the 8th Florida Infantry Regiment in Museum lists,
apparently based on undocumented speculation.)
Includes original wooden flag staff marked with capture number.

Two triangles form a square format. (54" X 54")
One triangle is very dark blue, the other is white.
No unit designation or battle honors
Not captured.

OTHER CONFEDERATE FLAGS

Florida Secession Flag. (Acc. 87.1.11)

Unique design using stars and stripes, silk with fringe. (54" X 86")
Inscription: THE RIGHTS OF THE SOUTH AT ALL HAZARDS
This flag was reported to have flown over the Capitol at Tallahassee
when the Ordinance of Secession was signed on January 11, 1861.

7
Battle Flag or Flag Canton. (Acc. 74.205.01.01)

St. Andrew's cross design; square format. (42" X 44")
No battle honors or unit designation.
Appears to be a canton cut from a large Confederate National flag.
(Probably second national pattern)
According to a 1961 newspaper article, this flag was found around
1930 during the demolition of an ante-bellum house in
Tallahassee. The United Daughters of the Confederacy
believed that it had flown over Florida's Capitol late in the war.
Includes apparently original rope in sleeve of flag.

Established by the federal government in 1862, the Medal of Honor could not be
awarded to Florida soldiers as they were mostly serving in the Confederate States Army.
But there were at least six Medals of Honor issued to Union soldiers for actions against
Florida Regiments. All involved the capture of regimental flags. While this may seem an
insufficient reason for granting the medal, remember that during that war, unit battle and
regimental flags were considered the "soul" of each unit, to be defended literally to the
death. As a percentage, flag bearers suffered far heavier fatal casualties than any other
category of soldier in either army, North or South.

DANIEL A. WOODS; Pte Co. K, 1st Virginia Cavalry (Union), at Sailor's Creek, Virginia,
6 April 1865 (Capture of 18th Florida Infantry Flag. As there was no 18th Florida, it is
presumed to have been either the 1st bn of the 8th or the recently arrived miscellaneous
battalions from Florida)

That these flags were not given up easily is suggested by the following eyewitness
account of the loss of just one of them: (The action was at Sailor's Creek, Virginia during
the retreat of Lee's army to Appomatox; the remnants of several Confederate brigades
were cut-off and isolated by Union cavalry under George Custer. The eyewitness account
is by Captain Henry Love of the 8th Florida)

"The Eighth Florida, hard pressed by the enemy, was compelled to fall slowly back.
Captain Waller, heedless of the danger, reckless of everything save that the beloved old
battleflag must be saved, rushed out before the troops and tearing the colors from the
broken and shattered staff, attempted to save them by pushing them beneath his coat and
then to regain his lines. He fell riddled with bullets, his life blood staining the emblem that
he had tried so hard to preserve."

There can be honor to both sides of that highest of all American awards!

(It is believed most, perhaps all six of these flags are now at the Florida State Museum
in Tallahassee, several on permanent display)